The Man in Red
by Lord of the Saiyans
Summary: Anakin Skywalker has turned to the Dark Side and Order 66 is in progress. All is going as planned until he reaches the younglings, there, he finds himself facing one last test, a guardian wearing a red cape and sunglasses.... One-Shot.
1. The Battle Begins

" Master Skywalker, I'm scared..." The young lad -- he looked no older than five or six, stood alone in the centre of the chamber, but Anakin could sense several more hiding behind the chairs and at the sides. he didn't give them an answer, but went straight on to what had to be done.

There was snap/hiss of his lightabre activating, the brilliant light filled the room and cast his face into an almost demon-like appearance. The youngling backed away now, fear on his face, the knowledge slowly dawning on him that Anakin wasn't here to help.

Truly it would be for the best, thought the Jedi-turned Sith as he stalked forwards, blade raising to attack position. The jedi had betrayed the Republic and these youths had been tainted by their lies. Truly then, a straight death would be better than anything else on offer. He was doing them a favour, really, and his Master had been very exact -- every single Jedi, Knights, Masters and Apprentices, had to be killed.

The boy stumbled back, falling, full blown terror in his eyes as Anakin slashed downwards, the hissing of the blade almost alike a beast crying for blood. Thus was the hold of the Jedi broken, thus, were the Sith victorious --

Suddenly, an intense pressure in the Force filled the room and Anakin winced, his strike missed and the boy scrambled back behind the chairs. Fool, it wouldn't save him-- except, now someone was walking out of the shadows of the far wall and it wasn't a child. How he could have got there, Anakin had no clue but it was clearly an adult -- no Jedi he had ever seen had been clothed like this -- his torso was bare, a red cloak fell from his shoulders, his hair was blue and he sported a pair of sunglasses. He carried a scabbard in one hand.

Judging by his Force presence, this man was no Jedi. Anakin moved to the guard position, frowning, " Who are you and what are you doing here?"

The man scowled, " How dare you try to attack helpless kids! Guess you didn't expect me to arrive then! The strong-backed demon of Jehha Village, founder of the Dai-Gurren Brigade! A man who's burning fist must always exceed his grasp! Many call me --"

As the man went on , it dawned on Anakin that now was his chance, with rapid movements, his draw his blade and slashed downwards, intending to cut the man in two as he spoke, but the man saw it coming and his eyes glinted. Anakin expected him to dodge backwards away from the attack and was already preparing a second strike that would kill him if he did, so it was something of a shock when the man leapt forwards _into_ the attack! Barely avoiding the lightsabre, the man's hand flew to the scabbard and he drew a sword -- not a lightsabre, vibroblade or anything of that nature, but an honest to goodness blade! An it was massive, it was impossible that it could have fitted into the scabbard but it had, and with a single leap, the man struck at the Sith.

Anakin moved to the right and avoided the attack -- barely -- but it was close, this man was fast. The two swords -- one glowing, a powerful weapon hissing with power, the other metal, but somehow larger than it should be, struck again, Anakin knew that he could slice the other's weapon apart but apparently the man did too, because he was always careful to avoid touching the blade of the lightsabre.

The two circled and then, Anakin darted towards him, the lightsabre blurred as he swung it with all his might, but the man had been ready, he ducked aside and countered, Anakin dodged again but this time, the man had sliced a light wound into his side, clamping down on the pain, Anakin used it to feed his connection to the Dark Side.

" Who are you?" He growled again.

The man smirked, his sunglasses glinted and he charged, " Who the hell do you think I am?!"

The battle began in earnest.


	2. The Victor!

Anakin Skywalker leapt backwards, Force-enhanced muscles propelling him across the room in a single graceful movement. Sweat poured off him like rain, his muscles threatened to cramp, and several light cuts and bruises showed where he had almost not been quick enough.

Sithspit, this man was fast! He was clearly no Jedi, and he didn't even seem to be drawing upon the Force, yet he was able to move almost as quickly as Anakin himself, and the man was welding a blade that by rights, should have weighed down his hand enough that the Jedi-turned Sith was able to land a killing blow.

His ankle ached from a kick, he tried not to put too much pressure on it, a single misstep would mean death. He stood his ground for the minute, breathing deeply and trying to collect himself for the next round, how could a normal, human man be so fast and strong? Several times Anakin had been hit and it felt like the fist of a powerful machine, never mind a human. Yet this man was clearly that, a human being empowered by some source far beyond anything the Jedi had information of. He had already resolved to ask his Master about it when he completed this mission. Even now, facing his toughest enemy, Anakan did not harbour even the faintest hint that he might fail, too many things hung in the balance now that the Jedi had revealed their true colours. The survival of the Republic, the survival of Padme, the survival of his unborn child! Anakin didn't just fight for himself, he fought for his whole family! He could NOT lose! With a roar of anger, and the accompanying burst of Dark Side power, he hurled himself back into the fray, his lightsabre hummed as he slashed it through the air, but the man ducked back and the blade narrowly missed his chest, Anakin had been prepared for though, however. With blinding speed, his free hand smashed into the man's jaw, sending him tumbling back. Returning to his two-handed grip, the Sith charged, knowing that now was his chance to end the fight.

The man rolled on the balls of his feet, avoiding the strike that ought to have killed him, again Anakin raged at his near-impossible speed. He had never duelled anyone so fast, but the warrior was clearly off-balance and Anakin knew he could finish it now if he was fast.

With a scream, he threw all his power into a single masterful stroke, the Dark Side flowed through him and added its strength to the sabre and the man welding it, it was the kind of blow you would strike once every thousand years. The kind of attack a master swordsmen would train every day for his life, just so that he could pull it off _once. _ It was the much fabled, much sought after, _perfect blow. _ By the rights of all that existed and all that the Force held true and dear, there should have been no defence against it, lightsabres would have been sliced through, throwing up sparks even as the hungry blade of Anakin's weapon went on to kill the Jedi. But this was no Jedi, and for this man, reality worked differently. Still, it might have ended there and then, if Anakin had not shouted

" I wont let you win!"

The words seemed to ignite something deep in the man, a fire burst into life deep in his eyes and he moved like lightening, his sword found itself in the way, and Anakin saw to his horror, it took the brunt of the attack! It didn't break! A glowing, emerald energy encircled the blade in a lazy spiral of power.

The man smiled infuriatingly, " You almost had me."

Anakin struggled to force the lightsabre down farther, but whatever the blade was made of, it resisted.

" I-Impossible."

" Don't you know? We're the Dai-Gurren brigade! The impossible is our way of life!"

Slowly, the man pushed back and qanakin found himself losing the struggle, " I'll tell you why I'm beating you," growled the man," Its because we fight for different causes! You fight for death, even if you don't know it, but what you can't feel is that it weakens you. Any true man would know, that anyone who fights to kill doesn't deserve to called a man!"

The warrior kicked out with the strength of a horse and Anakin slammed into the far wall, a searing pain erupted in his back, he bent over and spat blood, _well that doesn't look good. _Shaking his head, he got back to his feet

The man was coming towards him slowly now, the sword in his hand, " I'm not going to just let myself lose to someone like you, if I ever lose, it'd have to be to a real man. Someone with fire in his eyes and thunder in his fists! And you don't count!"

The talk of thunder pounded in something that Anakin had neglected thus far in the fight. The man had shown no talent for Force manipulation. He had assumed the man could do it, but so far... no, it couldn't be that easy, could it? But he would never know unless he tried.

The man let out a mighty cry and let forwards, sword moving to finish the fight, and Anakin decided it was now or never. Summoning his powers, he felt himself sink deep into the Dark Side, then, he _pulled. _

The warrior clearly hadn't expected it, his expression changed from furious battle to incomprehension as he was yanked out of the air and propelled towards Anakin in an imperfect angle for the killing blow he wished to strike. But for the Sith, it was a perfect angle, sabre in hand, he leapt and cut, the man's confusion turned to agony as his arm was severed at the wrist -- the same arm that held his sword. The metal weapon went clattering away along with the hand that held it. But Anakin wasn't finished yet, moving faster than a blur of motion, he turned, stabbing the sabre through the back of the stranger's body.

The man spat blood of his own now, and his scream of pain echoed through the chamber. It brought a smile to the Sith's face. But, Anakin held the man, floating in the air with the blade through his chest,

" So you were saying," Anakin spoke in a hushed whisper, " how a man like me could never kill you?"

The stranger groaned and gasped and to Anakin's surprise, spoke, " Idiot."

This was enough to shock the young Sith, he was not used to people insulting him as they died.

" Did you really think... that by ''lose'' I meant ''kill'? Ha, I guess you really are cut out for the Dark Side after all."

" And by what definition, have you not lost?" Spat the Sith angrily, " You are _dying_, with one arm and a lightsabre impaled through your chest."

" By the most important definition there is.... look around you..."

Anakin did, casting his senses around the room suddenly paranoid of any attackers, but there were none, what had the man bee- The younglings! They were gone! An acrid anger burned in his gut as he turned back to the man.

" Remember what I said, Anakin Skywalker," spoke the stranger, " a true man bows to no one, a real man will always do what is right in his heart. I think, one day you will understand that."

" Lecturing me now? I'll kill you slowly."

" Doubt it, look at me, fool, its already over. Funny isn't it? You've got my dying, but I'm the one who won the important victories. Clean the earwax outta your ears and listen up! These are my last words and I want someone to hear 'em, they're important."

Despite himself, Anakin drew closer, the man grinned, his smashed sunglasses seemed to glint one last time, " My name... is Kamina.... and I... will be back."

Anakin roared in anger, twirling his sabre so as to bisect the pinned man. Kamina fell to the ground in shreds. The battle complete, he stomped off to search for the escaped younglings. Often later in life, he would wonder, why had the man sacrificed himself to help a group of children he knew were going to die anyway? Hardly any of them made it of the planet.

In the last minutes of his life, when he was once again Skywalker and now Vader, he finally understood. For that one child who had escaped, it was worth it.


End file.
